1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to a blow molded crib and, more particularly, to a crib fabricated of four blow molded side panels with the operating mechanisms encased within one of the panels and with additional features for greater safety, increased convenience, superior esthetics and cost reductions.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the field of juvenile furniture, it has been found that cribs are one of the more indispensable items. Cribs have taken a large variety of designs and configurations over the years. Their fabrications have traditionally been of wood, then metal, and more recently of plastic and/or with significantly increasing numbers of plastic parts with some metal components. Plastic cribs and crib components have been traditionally fabricated through an injection molding process wherein the cross-sectional configuration of the various components is generally planar with, in many instances, curved edges for structural integrity. The technology of blow molding is seldom utilized for large structural panels, never as the headboard, footboard and side panels of cribs.
It has been found that the use of blow molding technology as a crib fabrication technique allows for increased safety by allowing the operating components to be encased within cylindrical parts of the blow molded components, a location out of the way from the accidental pinching of fingers or other parts of an infant or small child occupying the crib, or even the care provider. This is accomplished in association with significant other benefits such as improved mechanisms for adjusting the height of the side rail and the mattress, improved teething elements as an integral part of the rail, decorative designs including removable panels and simplified fabrication assembly and adjustment techniques.